Romney Ratchets Up Anti-Huckabee Rhetoric

By: Scott Conroy
Topics: Mitt Romney

(CBS)

From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

STORM LAKE, IOWA -- Speaking to reporters after a town hall meeting, Mitt Romney delivered a two-for-one attack on Mike Huckabee, who has become his chief GOP rival in the state.

"At the same time [Huckabee] was raising taxes in Arkansas, he was asking taxpayers to pay for in-state tuition breaks for illegals and to give scholarships to illegals," Romney said. "And the idea of raising taxes to give benefits to illegals is something I think that Republican voters will simply reject."

Though Romney said that he didn't believe any candidate was running on the issue of faith alone, he charged Huckabee with trying to draw attention to his own Christian faith and predicted that the tactic would not be successful.

"I do think that Governor Huckabee in running an ad that says 'Christian leader' is clearly drawing attention to his faith, and I don't know that that's been done before in recent American history, where someone advertises their faith," Romney said.

"I think people welcome people of faith, but I don't think the particular denomination of faith is the basis upon which Americans choose their candidate."

Scott Conroy
Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.
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by christfllwr December 17, 2007 4:51 PM EST: In the last few days it becomes apparent that what Mitt Romney is willing to do: employing smear campaigns. Romney himself is not even a good Mormon who supported gay rights and abortion until he decided to run as a GOP candidate. When a candidate is willing to "change heart" (a.k.a. flip-flop) for certain issues, you know that he is not sincere in that particular issue. SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES! DON''T BE DECEIVED.

Go Huckabee Go.; Reply to this comment


by giantrobot2 December 16, 2007 2:25 PM EST: Read all about it!!

The fastest baseball pitcher in the world, Hall of Famer pitcher Bob Feller endorses Mike Huckabee as US President.

Bob''s lighting speed fast ball clocked at 100mph is just about as fast as Mike Huckabee''s skyrocketing poll numbers.

Mike Huckabee brings another amazing person on his flying HUCKABUS. The HUCKABUS has been clocked at HUCKABOOM speed, but just this week it has been clocked at HUCKBAMBOOM speed!

Mike Huckabee is on a roll, and everybody feels the energy. Today NBC headline news reports Mike Huckabee as the next Ronald Reagan. News reports are flashing all around the world reporting Mike Huckabee dubbed Ronald Reagan''s heir.

Come on let''s jump on the HUCKABUS this is going to be an historic ride! America is now back in the running!; Reply to this comment


by hofheins1 December 16, 2007 6:23 AM EST: Romney and Huckabee have the same values in my eyes, but when it comes to records and performance, I don''t think that there is an area where Romney does not out shine him. I want a president who is Tough, Smart, and Ethical, and Mitt is that man.

Just the thought of Huckabee getting the nomination makes me feel sick inside. He does not have anywhere near the experience of Romney, and it shows in how he has run his campaign.

Mitt has run the one of the best campaigns that I have ever seen. He knows how to organize and lead like I have never seen before.

In my eyes, sure Huckabee is a great guy, I do not doubt that at all, but I do not want a President who as Gov. of Ark. pardoned 700 to 1000 criminals, including murders. This troubles me. Plus I do not like his record on immigration. He does not seem very smart to me, and he is the last person that I would want to be making foreign policy decisions.

Mitt is the answer. A vote for Huckabee is a vote for Hillary or Obama, and we simply cannot let that happen. Mitt Will Win.; Reply to this comment


by collin28-2009 December 15, 2007 6:59 PM EST: Interesting that Romney has brought out the negative things about Huck.

Negativity does sell.

I have a question --

I just went to Mike''s website and at this time he has collected $1,116,249 in donations.

Currently at Ron Paul''s site he has collected in real time $11,493,478 and what about the next BOMB tomorrow.

My question is how is Mike going to keep going with so little money?; Reply to this comment


by lnardozi December 15, 2007 6:38 PM EST: Huckabee never finished the seminary, so I can KINDA believe him when he said he didn''t know about Romney''s religion. Of course, comparative religion is a sort of low level class, but give him the credit for not being studious and drop it. He DOES believe in creationism, so at least he was awake PART of the time. I wonder how he does on other religious stuff. I know he got his Baptist girl friend Diane O''Connell a government job even though she had no experience. Cost Arkansas 1.6 million, so I guess he fails at not lying. Let''s see, he stole $60,000 out of the taxpayer fund so I guess he missed that class about not stealing. He tried to pay himself as a consultant in his own Senatorial election, so he missed that class on not cheating too. He opened a wedding registry at Target and Dillard''s while he was governor so his grateful subjects could buy him presents when he and his wife renewed their vows. Hm - guess he missed that class about not coveting his neighbor''s possessions too. Wait - maybe there''s a simpler explanation. Maybe the Huckster thinks YOU''RE stupid. After all, he DOES support the FairTax, which doesn''t tax corporations AT ALL, and millionaires and up at the same rate as someone who is near poverty level - i.e. less than 5%. Here''s the thing - religious people really ARE religious. Who among them wants any truck with THIS devil?; Reply to this comment


by pjacobsuk December 15, 2007 4:27 PM EST: Which Candidate is the only one with social compassion as well as money management and mature life skills (balanced the budget every year while in office)?

You can sit there and stew over all the candidates, but I''m voting for the candidate who has a heart for ALL people, hard to find common sense and is able to choose with confidence and conviction! That would be Huckabee; Reply to this comment


by winghunter December 15, 2007 4:15 PM EST: Willard Mitt Romney is every bit as pathetic as the Huckster. Do your research people so you might stop drooling over yourselves!

Willard ran to the LEFT of Ted Kennedy for a senate seat!

Get a real clue as to what your reponsibilities are as an informed voter protecting America from idiots. It is your duty as a citizen...so do it!; Reply to this comment


by jacktar7 December 15, 2007 4:05 PM EST: I think Huckabee lies too easily. For example, he said his scholarship program for illegal aliens applied to kids who had been in school in the U.S "all their lives," when the program only required them to have been in high school for three years. Mark Halpern said, %u201CHuckabee is unflappable, unfailingly genial, and willing to pleasantly deny the truth when it suits his purposes (such as claiming that he did not support the quarantine of AIDS patients in 1992).%u201D

What I especially like about Romney is his apparent great kindness. Some years ago, the daughter of one of Romney''s friends went missing in New York City. Romney shut his business down, and all the employees of the company went to New York City to look for her. Thankfully, they found her. It would be a rare person who would shut his business down to help a friend. I read about that in Newsweek, and it made a great impression on me.; Reply to this comment


by giantrobot2 December 15, 2007 2:10 PM EST: Ed Rollins is a master at campain strategy. This guy knows what he is doing. It''''s not by luck that Ronald Regan won all but one state out of 50.

With Mike Huckabee skyrocketing in the polls and now picking up Ed Rollins, his HUCKABUS is going to go from HUCKABOOM to HUCKABAMBOOM!!!

I can see a movie in the making here, Mike Huckabee coming out of no where sprinting pass the competition like they were stuck on honey.

This is an incrediable success story in the making. You are going to see everybody and their brother wanting the rights to make this movie about Mike Huckabee''''s charismatic success.

Look out world, America is back in the running! Mike Huckabee is going to steer this big ship of ours and he has the masses supporting him. Just as a rockband of supporters cheering on Mike now... GO MIKE GO, GO MIKE GO, GO MIKE GO!!!!!

With Mike''''s super ability to connect with people, he will connect with national leaders. The Earth will shift, I can hear the rutters start to grind and turn now, an amazing amount of force is coming.

The evil terrorist will be stomped on like a pancake, the poor will become richer, the sick will become healther, the economy will become brighter. This is an amazing historical time for America on the horizon.; Reply to this comment


by kiskis1 December 15, 2007 12:07 PM EST: Sunday is the day targeted by GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul''s supporters for another fundraising push.

So, I''ll be sending my money in on Sunday for the simple reason Ron Paul is an honest man among charlatans and power seekers. And he gives me hope when it is in short supply.

It is also fun to think of what a Paul administration would do if the establishment allowed him to get that far.

Hope, truth and justice are in short supply in what is now the United States. When they are offered, they should be grabbed and protected like the rare treasures they have become. Ron Paul offers those things.

Certainly it is another David and Goliath struggle, and the Davids have rarely won since the original face-off. But, that is why we have hope.; Reply to this comment